[varunanb]

Originally Posted by freakmuzik

Its more than two weeks with me driving in Chennai traffic and yeah, there's lot that I've !

Welcome buddy. It's the number of two wheelers makes driving in chennai difficult. Lot of times I'm surrounded by 2 wheelers on all sides and struggle to find a way out.

When you are driving under the metro rail route those are under construction please be careful. There are frequent instances of debris falling from above and causing severe damages.

[ksmrsm]

I have been meaning to pen this down for some time now, but never did find the time. So here goes the observations that I made over the last few weeks. Though I have been driving for a long time in Chennai, the last few weeks have been a revelation.

1. A lot of roads have been dug up for relaying, but the relaying is happening only after a few days of the digging up - leading to a lot of dust being generated. Also a few accidents for two wheelers as the road is uneven.

2. Saw a lady in a "Pleasure" flying, sorry riding past me at a speed of 70+. No Helmet. I wonder, what would happen in case of an emergency braking.

3. A lot of vehicles blatantly flouting basic road rules and travelling on the wrong side of the road, especially at the SRP Tools junction in Thiruvanmiyur and in Velachery. And turning without indication is a huge issue in these areas.

4. Aaah - Car driving at 40 in the extreme right of the road in the Tidal Park road with two wheelers occupying the Middle and the left lanes.

5. Young IT executives crossing the road at the Tidel Park signal even though there is a foot over bridge just a few meters away. Also indiscriminate crossing of the road in this stretch.

6. Six inches of road about one and a half feet away from the foot path on the road from Thiruvanmiyur Signal to Tidal Park Signal dug up and small dividers being placed. Is this for extending the footpath or to create a separate lane for two wheelers - I have no clue.

7. How to paint a lamp post - Take a cloth and a bucket of paint. Climb the ladder to the top. Dip the cloth in the silver paint. Slap the cloth on the post where you cant reach it. Where you can, rub the post with the cloth till the bottom. - Voila the post is painted.

Yes! The wonders of Singara Chennai.

[hserus]

After several years of chennai traffic, I have had exactly four months of bangalore traffic. I invite you to examine the # of posts on the similar thread ranting about bangalore traffic, and then feel a sense of awe .. followed by utter frustration once you actually venture out onto bangalore roads.

[varunanb]

Case with the other metros or bigger cities are different. The two wheeler population in chennai is too high. If only the said drivers are a bit disciplined our roads would be much better and safer to drive. But I think that is asking too much from them.

[DriveHigh]

I would like to say that the situation is similar in Kolkata as well. Apart from few bypass highways in the city rest of the roads become very hectic to drive during rush hours. And yes its true I pay respect to the local buses, shuttled cabs, sumos, local taxis , restless motor bikes, rickshaw pullers and most importantly auto rickshaws. Once before two years an auto rickshaw broke my back right wheel's cover and it was completely intentional. It was a narrow lane near to my house and as a result I stopped using that lane. It was a bitter experience but I still use that broken wheel cover. I keep some signs of scratches, dents etc on my car unrepaired may be partially because of superstition and partially for accusing the hitter (though its false)

[varunanb]

Looks like road above the metro line near Central has caved in.

Metro work is becoming unsafe in chennai recently with lots of reported accidents.

Got this in whatsapp. Not sure of the credibility of the news. Can anybody confirm.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by varunanb

Got this in whatsapp. Not sure of the credibility of the news. Can anybody confirm.

It's in the newspaper this morning, so I suppose it must be credible. Only one pic, though so thanks for the above. What a terrifying experience!

Possibly even more terrifying, in the long term, is a quote from Metro Rail to the effect that the car owner, if needing to make a claim, must take it up with the contractors responsible for that work.

[varunanb]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

It's in the newspaper this morning, so I suppose it must be credible. Only one pic, though so thanks for the above. What a terrifying experience!

Possibly even more terrifying, in the long term, is a quote from Metro Rail to the effect that the car owner, if needing to make a claim, must take it up with the contractors responsible for that work.

Do not see much damage to the car. Still if he decides to claim insurance, will be very difficult.

[Thad E Ginathom]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

It's in the newspaper this morning ...

I opened the paper later on. Apparently there was a multi-hour traffic jam. Nobody here stuck in that?

The most amazing thing is the picture of the road repair job: a mixer truck pouring concrete into the hole. Any engineers here to comment?

[varunanb]

Originally Posted by Thad E Ginathom

I opened the paper later on. Apparently there was a multi-hour traffic jam. Nobody here stuck in that?

The most amazing thing is the picture of the road repair job: a mixer truck pouring concrete into the hole. Any engineers here to comment?

Im not an expert on the subject, but pouring concrete should make the pit stronger and roads can be relaid on top of it.

Seems logical. Civil engineers to confirm pls.

[raghu.t.k]

Originally Posted by varunanb

Im not an expert on the subject, but pouring concrete should make the pit stronger and roads can be relaid on top of it.

Seems logical. Civil engineers to confirm pls.

Not a civil engineer. This looks more like quick fix, rather than an analysed resolution. I am not sure if they had considered the stability of the soil before drilling, since it is confirmed that the drilling was actually below this spot. Also is the surrounding soil firm,or is that just a matter of time? That stretch of road sees all sorts of traffic both during the day and the night. I think this road is used to access the Port, in which case all heavy vehicles, including trailers with their shipments use this road.

[VW2010]

Not a civil engineer. This looks more like quick fix, rather than an analysed resolution. I am not sure if they had considered the stability of the soil before drilling, since it is confirmed that the drilling was actually below this spot. Also is the surrounding soil firm,or is that just a matter of time? That stretch of road sees all sorts of traffic both during the day and the night. I think this road is used to access the Port, in which case all heavy vehicles, including trailers with their shipments use this road.

On the other hand what if this was an analyzed solution yet a quick fix. May be we are over analyzing something that could have taken the required course of action. just my thoughts.

[hserus]

That is purely a quick fix. They have dug without doing too much in the way of stress or soil tests and under pressure to complete on schedule (expensive tunnel boring machines that get paid for by the day whether or not they are operated, political pressure to finish, pressure from PWD etc to finish etc)

Expect more I would say.

[akhil_007]

I thought steel rings/rcc rings are inserted as soon as tunnel is bored. This prevents the top layer from collapsing. I hope the metro guys did not fill their pockets instead.

[varunanb]

Originally Posted by akhil_007

I thought steel rings/rcc rings are inserted as soon as tunnel is bored. This prevents the top layer from collapsing. I hope the metro guys did not fill their pockets instead.

I think the problem is that in chennai most of the drainage and cabling are done below the road.Maybe one of these might have been there along with the metro tunnel.

One such incident happened in KK nagar near where I live. The road had caved in above the drainage and it the repair work is going on for atleast 6 - 7 months. Not sure why it takes so long.